Dynamics of undergraduate student generic problem-solving skills captured by a campus-wide study

The Impact of Problem-Solving Instruction on Middle School Students’ Physical Science Learning: Interplays of Knowledge, Reasoning, and Problem Solving

“…Our results further demonstrated that the inclusion of problem solving learning in the normal classroom learning for the middle school students was considered suitable and promising. This conclusion is also supported by several previous studies that found that problems with more than one solution can help students to develop their problem solving strategies (Klegeris et al, 2016;Mann et al, 2016;Tao, 2001). Some previous studies suggested that successfully solving a problem requires certain skills and abilities, such as the ability to understand the problem, the skill to apply and synthesize prior knowledge about the problem, the ability to make decisions about how to proceed, the knowledge of how to access the measures taken in the resolution processing, and being able to analyze the results (Harskamp & Ding, 2006;Hmelo-Silver, 2007;Maloney, 1994), all of which we include in our design to scaffold students' learning.…”

Mixed-mode instruction using active learning in small teams improves generic problem-solving skills of university students

“…Due to the small but significant difference in difficulty levels of the two versions of the PSS test, all scores obtained by one of the tests were first transformed using a linear equating procedure described previously (Klegeris et al 2017). These adjusted PSS test scores were analysed by the paired Student's t-test to establish a significant change over the course of the semester.…”

“…Students are given exactly 15 minutes to complete the in-class tests. For examples of the test questions, detailed descriptions of the test procedures and data analyses, see Klegeris et al (2013Klegeris et al ( , 2017. In April 2020, in-class testing of students' PSS was not possible; therefore, all enrolled students were emailed the respective versions of the test.…”

“…With regard to strategies that are effective in advancing generic PSS, available evidence supports use of several different active learning approaches, as well as collaborative teamwork, to foster this skill set (Chetty 2014;He et al 2018;Klegeris et al 2013;Lian and He 2013;Montrezor 2016;Newton et al 2015). It has also been argued that course content delivery based on a mainly didactic lecturecentred approach does not improve students' PSS (He et al 2018;Klegeris et al 2013Klegeris et al , 2017Lian and He 2013). Several different types of problem-based learning (PBL), offered both in-class and online with small or large groups of participants, have been shown to effectively advance students' PSS (Anderson et al 2008;He et al 2018;Klegeris et al 2013;Lian and He 2013;Tune, Sturek, and Basile 2013;Woods 1998).…”

“…A recently published report used three different tools, including an updated CLA (CLA+), the Critical Thinking Assessment Test (CAT) and Valid Assessment of Learning in Undergraduate Education (VALUE) rubrics, to monitor the dynamics of undergraduate student PSS (Simper et al 2018). The study reported herein used a recently introduced, freely available, 15-minute, two-part PSS test based on the PISA questions; this testing tool has already been successfully used to monitor progress of generic PSS of students over a single semester and to study the dynamics of this skill in larger undergraduate student populations over a three-year period (Klegeris et al 2013(Klegeris et al , 2017(Klegeris et al , 2019. The short duration of this test allows its administration during regular class time.…”